#Africanfilms#Holywood
In the film ''Hidden Figures'' a biographical film about three African-American women at NASA in 1961, one of the women's white boss stands up for her to use the nearest bathroom instead of a farther one intended only for her race. He also lets her into Mission Control to witness the launch. Neither scene happened in real life, and screenwriter Theodore Melfi said he saw no problem with adding the scenes, "There needs to be white people who do the right thing, there needs to be black people who do the right thing, and someone does the right thing. And so who cares who does the right thing, as long as the right thing is achieved?". Melfi's comment would have been acceptable if the right thing wasn't again done by the white person. In its core, doing the right thing should be a human need, but when it comes to movies, Hollywood seems to have favorites in the act of the right thing. The so-called ''white savior'' complex has become a dominant pattern in the African Films made in Hollywood. Just like in ''Hidden Figures'', where the white boss validates the presence of the black woman, or in ''The Help'' where the white journalist encourages black women to tell their stories, there is a constant reminder that black people cannot save themselves and are in need of a greater savior in the form of a white person. Does that narrative ring a bell?
Hollywood films have drawn much needed attention to serious issues concerning the human race all around the world but when it comes down to African stories they seem to lack imagination. Post-Colonial African countries have struggled and are still struggling in finding their identity and change their narrative but Hollywood has always seen Africa through the western prism. In every Hollywood film the same patterns, depicting black people as bad or helpless, play out creating a story for Africa. In ''Blood Diamond'' DiCaprio's character, a racist at first, ends up saving a black family from a black villain, in ''Blindside'' a white woman (played by Sandra Bullock who won an oscar for her performance in the movie) takes in and eventually adopts a black teenager that goes out to become a great football player, in ''Sunset Park'' a white physical education teacher coaches a team of black basketball players and leads them to win a championship. The list of films goes on and on and Hollywood seems to not get enough of this narrative that subtly(or not) promotes a colonial view of Africa. The same attitude is also followed by the award academy. The latest hint was the film ''Green Book'' that won the oscar for best film of the year. A film about a white bodyguard that drives around the states a black jazz pianist. Hollywood tries and fails to create authentic stories about Africa and African people. They are stuck thinking that this is the only way that the story could work.
The main problem in Hollywood is that people are absorbed by this idea of African people as tragic figures, in need of a savior that are to be pitted for their misery. This narrative comes from the lack of diversity and representation of African artists in the making of African films. You would think that in order to make a film about Africa, Hollywood would choose African filmmakers for a more accurate view, but that's not the case. African filmmakers have struggled to get their perspectives and views of Africa into the world of Hollywood and they always seems to hit a wall. Hollywood is talking about inclusion in films and equal opportunities but they seem to shut out African film Industry and throw away the chance to show a different side of African people, one that goes beyond the stereotypical attitude towards african characters in films and one that creates diverse narratives with multi-dimentional African characters.
There are many stories to be told about African people that haven't been told and others that need to be fixed. Hollywood needs to change its ways and create a more welcoming environment for diversity. The work of African filmmakers is important because it allows African people to take control of their stories so that no more ''Green Book'' films are made on their behalf.
P.S1 We as individuals also have a duty to express our disappointment in the lack of divesity in Hollywood and make a difference by choosing what films we watch.
P.S2 Even American people are taking steps in pointing out the absurd ''white savior'' storylines.